Distillery District in Toronto, Ontario — Central Canada (North America)
David Roberts Senior & David Roberts Junior
Distillery Architects | Les architectes de la distillerie
Photographed by Tim Boyd, April 12, 2025
1. David Roberts Senior & David Roberts Junior Marker
Distillery Architects
Between 1858 and 1895 David Roberts Sr. and his son David Roberts Jr. designed and oversaw the construction of all the 19th century buildings remaining at the Distillery.
David Roberts Sr. (1810-1881) was a civil engineer, millwright and designer of stationary steam engines. He is said to have erected over 30 mills in Ireland and England before emigrating to Canada in 1844. The Stone Distillery and much of the milling and distilling machinery were built to his designs in 1858-60; later in the 1860s he designed the Malt House, Kiln Building, Rectifying House and Cooperage.
David Roberts Jr. (1845-1907) is thought to have apprenticed with Gundry and Langley, architects in Toronto. After the Stone Distillery burned in 1869, he oversaw its reconstruction. Later he designed over a dozen buildings on the site including the Pure Spirits Buildings. Elsewhere in the city he was the architect for important landmarks for the Gooderham family, including George Gooderham's house at Bloor and St. George Streets (1891) and the Flatiron Building at Front and Wellington Streets (1892).
De 1858 à 1895, David Roberts Sr. et son fils David Roberts Jr. réalisèrent les dessins et supervisèrent la construction de tous les édifices de la Distillerie qui ont survécu depuis le 19e siècle jusqu'à nos jours.
Le père, David Roberts Sr. (1810-1881), fut ingénieur civil, constructeur de moulins et concepteur de moteurs à vapeur fixes. Avant d'émigrer au Canada en 1844, il aurait construit plus de 30 moulins en Irlande et en Angleterre. De 1858 à 1860, on construisit la Stone Distillery et la plupart des concasseurs et des distilleuses d'après ses dessins. Au cours des années 1860, il dessina la Malt House (la maison de maltage), le Kiln Building (le bâtiment des fours), la Rectifying House (la maison de rectification) et le Cooperage (la tonnellerie).
Le fils, David Roberts Jr. (1845-1907), aurait complété son apprentissage au cabinet torontois Gundry and Langley Architects. En 1869, la Stone Distillery brûla et David Roberts Jr. supervisa les travaux de sa reconstruction. Dans les années qui suivirent il dessina plus de doúze édifices du site, y compris le Pure Spirits Buildings. À Toronto, il réalisa des bâtiments monumentaux appartenant à la famille Gooderham, dont l'hôtel particulier de George Gooderham au coin des rues Bloor et St. George (en 1891) et l'édifice Flatiron à l'angle des rues Front et Wellington (en 1892).
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Location. 43° 39.039′ N, 79° 21.587′ W. Marker is in Toronto, Ontario. It is in the Distillery District. It is at the intersection of Mill Street and Trinity Street, on the right when traveling east on Mill Street. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 16 Trinity Street, Toronto ON M5A 3C4, Canada. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in Greater Toronto and on the Golden Horseshoe. It is also in Central Canada. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once a British colony, the Viceroyalty of New France, the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) Confederacy, and Rupert’s Land.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Gooderham and Worts Distillery Complex / La Distillerie Gooderham and Worts (here, next to this marker); Fitting Shop (a few steps from this marker); Stables (within shouting distance of this marker);
Photographed by Tim Boyd, April 12, 2025
2. David Roberts Senior & David Roberts Junior Marker
Photographed by Tim Boyd, April 12, 2025
3. David Roberts Senior & David Roberts Junior marker photos and captions detail
4. Gooderham and Worts Distillery, ca 1880
Photographed by Tim Boyd, April 12, 2025
5. Preseved buildings of the former Gooderham & Worts Distillery, 2025
Now the Distillery District
Credits. This page was last revised on April 18, 2025. It was originally submitted on April 18, 2025, by Tim Boyd of Hamilton, Ontario. This page has been viewed 278 times since then and 67 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. submitted on April 18, 2025, by Tim Boyd of Hamilton, Ontario. • Andrew Ruppenstein was the editor who published this page.
